


Have They Always Been?

by ofcourseitsanorange



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, One Shot Collection, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:22:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28066179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ofcourseitsanorange/pseuds/ofcourseitsanorange
Summary: “The goddess just watches over us from above… that is all. No matter how hard someone begs to be saved, she would never so much as offer her hand. And even if she did, we lack the means to reach out and grasp it. That’s how I feel about her.”A series of one shots concerning Dimitri, Byleth, and warm hands.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22





	Have They Always Been?

Byleth knew little of intimacy. As a mercenary, keeping others at an arm’s length had come with the territory. Sentimentality seemed alien against so much violence. Her hands had only killed, clinically and unthinking. The others called her the Ashen Demon – never to her face although not caring if she heard. Did the name originate from fear? Respect? Whatever it was, her father’s expression, she now realized, betrayed it as well when he thought she wasn’t looking. She hadn’t told him that she loved him yet. She wasn’t sure if she knew how.

Dimitri winced. Byleth froze and lifted her hands from his shoulder.

_What was that?_ Demanded Sothis. _Have you not learned a thing from your lessons with Rhea?_

“Stupid,” Byleth agreed in a whisper she hoped Dimitri couldn’t hear. Rhea had insisted that she had a talent for Faith magic, but Byleth wasn’t sure. Her hands weren’t mean for this. “Are you alright?” she asked.

“Of course! Please forgive my reaction, Professor.” He offered a warm smile that set her at ease. “I really do appreciate your help – we all do. Mercedes is an excellent healer, but one person can only do so much.”

Byleth nodded, thankful that his wound wasn’t severe to begin with. It was the reason Byleth had given when she offered to tend to the cut on his shoulder while Mercedes dealt with more serious injuries. In truth, Byleth had also been selfishly waiting for an opportunity to practice. She wanted to trust Rhea, to believe that solitude wasn’t her lot after all. The thought of being close to someone for just a few moments –

_And with your favorite student, no less!_ Byleth resisted the urge chide Sothis.

“I’m still learning,” she said. “Although... I suppose that’s not what you’d hope to hear from a professor, is it?”

Dimitri smiled. “Consider it a learning experience for the both of us. I’ve never had much of a talent for faith magic myself.” He briefly turned his attention to the cut on his shoulder. “To be frank, I don’t take quite well to healing at all.”

“Healing requires… openness. I still don’t understand it completely, but Rhea… I mean the Archbishop, described it as closing the distance between yourself and others.”

“I see.” Dimitri frowned thoughtfully. “That does sound difficult.”

Byleth nodded. “It is. But I think I’m getting better at it.” Concentrating, she let white magic emanate again from her fingers. “Would you allow me to try again? Do you have… faith in me?”

Dimitri’s laughter drowned Sothis’ groans. “You have my complete confidence, Professor.”

Byleth let her hands rest on Dimitri’s shoulder and felt her palms warm. She thought of the afternoons the two of them spent teaching swordsmanship to the orphans at Garreg Mach. She remembered her shrouded unease during their first few lessons. Byleth had seldom interacted with young children as a mercenary. She feared they would see right through her in the same earnestly perceptive way they watched her and Dimitri spar with training swords. Dimitri laughed when she admitted as much to him, but she didn’t mind. She felt an inexplicable affection for his laughter. For a moment, her white magic shone especially bright.

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't been inspired to write fanfiction in a long while, so apologies for being a bit rusty and not quite comfortable writing these characters yet! With that being said, I hope that anyone who happens to come across this work is able to get some enjoyment out of it :)


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